Many beginner athletes believe that in order to get bigger arms, you need to train your biceps and this would be far from the truth. Today will discuss why you need to train your triceps and how you can with your body weight and little equipment.
Not only will these exercises help you build muscle, definition, and strength, but you can even do these in the comfort of your own home.
Table of Contents
Why Build Triceps
The triceps are an important muscle group when it comes to building bigger arms. They makeup two-thirds of the arm size and should not be neglected when trying to achieve your goals.
It consists of three parts: the long head, medial head, and lateral head. Each part helps to move different areas of the elbow joint which makes triceps exercises incredibly effective for building strength and improving mobility.
Working out your triceps offers many benefits such as
- Increased strength in pushing movements
- Improved elbow stability
- Greater ability to lift heavier weights with good form
Furthermore, strong triceps will give your arms a more balanced look and can improve the overall appearance of your arms.
Bodyweight Tricep Exercises
There are many bodyweight tricep exercises available, but most of them will be in some variation of either push-ups or dips. Changing the form and variation of either 2 exercises can help focus more on the tricep muscles and less on your chest.
Standard Push Ups
Standard push-ups are a great exercise for working out and strengthening your triceps.
By doing push-ups regularly you can target the triceps and chest to build strength in the muscle group over time.
This helps to build strength and definition in the triceps muscles, making them appear more toned. Also, push-ups can help with shoulder stability and improve posture in general.
Diamond Push Ups
Diamond push-ups are a variation of the traditional push-up exercise that puts extra emphasis on the triceps. By placing your hands close together and making a diamond shape with your fingers, you can target the triceps more directly than a standard push-up.
This is done by taking some of the weight away from the chest muscles and transferring it to the triceps.
Additionally, diamond push-ups help improve elbow stability and joint health due to the increased workload on the arms during the exercise.
Too difficult?
No matter where you start, there is always a progression available.
If any of the push-up exercises are too difficult, you can:
- Elevate Your Hands
- Go on your knees instead of your toes
- Lower your reps
Bodyweight Tricep Extensions
The aim of the bodyweight tricep extension is to slowly lower your body down and then press up from a lying position. Doing this transfers all the weight of your body onto your triceps, helping to build strength and tone in the muscles over time.
This exercise also helps with shoulder stability and can help improve posture in general. Furthermore, it can be adjusted to suit different levels of fitness, making it a great choice for both beginners and more experienced exercisers alike.
Bench Dips
This exercise works by having you lower yourself down onto a stable surface like a bench and then press yourself up from this position. This transfers all the weight of your body onto your triceps, helping to build strength and tone over time.
It also helps with shoulder stability and can help improve posture in general.
This exercise is great for beginner athletes working up to a full bodyweight dip.
Bodyweight Dips
Bodyweight dips are another great exercise for developing triceps strength and definition. This exercise is performed by using two parallel bars or handles, such as the ones found on a dip station.
The aim of this exercise is to slowly lower your body down from an upright position and then press up again in one continuous motion. Doing this transfers all the weight of your body onto your triceps, resulting in a highly effective workout.
To keep the focus on your triceps, be sure to keep your elbows tucked and the handles to be closer together.
If the bodyweight dip is still too difficult, do bench dips.
Calisthenics Triceps Workout Example
Beginner
Standard Push-ups or Knee Push-ups: 3-4 sets of 10 (or 2 reps shy of failure)
Bench Dips: 3-4 sets of 10 (or 2 reps shy of failure)
Intermediate
Standard Push-ups (Warm-up): 2 sets of 10-15
Diamond Push-ups: 3-4 sets of 10-12 (or 2 reps shy of failure)
Bodyweight Tricep extensions or Bodyweight Dips: 3-4 sets of 10-12 (or 2 reps shy of failure)
Advanced
Standard Push-ups (Warm-up): 2 sets of 10-15
Diamond Push-ups: 3-4 sets of 10-12 (or 2 reps shy of failure)
Bodyweight Dips or Weighted Dips: 3-4 sets of 10-12 (or 2 reps shy of failure)
How to Increase the Intensity
At some point, increasing the reps becomes boring, takes too long, and can plateau the muscle growth you see. Here are a few different ways to advance further.
Slow the Tempo
Slowing down your reps can help increase your stability and form when doing reps. Doing this will increase the time under tension and you’ll feel yourself tiring out before getting back to your usual number of reps.
Add Weight
You can add weight via a weighted vest, weight belt, or by filling up a backpack with some plates. By adding weight, you’ll feel the intensity of your workouts go up tremendously while increasing strength.
**Be sure not to add too much weight too fast as this can lead to injury
Elevated Your Feet
This one is for push-ups, but by elevating your feet on an elevated surface like a chair or yoga blocks, you’ll be able to feel much more tension on the upper body and less on your feet.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, growing any muscle takes consistency and time. When doing any of these exercises, be sure to use the proper form to ensure muscle activation and safety.
Doing these workouts 1-2 times per week paired with a proper diet of sufficient protein will be a surefire way to give you the gains you’re looking for!
Daniel “Bokey” Castillo founder of Bokeyfit.com, a blog dedicated to helping people become healthier and more active.